Daniel Considers Leaving

[Lulu1971]

The next part in Daniel's story...

Daniel: (thinking) Well, that went well. Time to leave, I think. None of them want me here.



(thinking) I really messed up. I don't blame Sihtric for punching me. They were right, I was an arsehole to them. Not really sure what to do now.



Sasha: Hey.
What do you want?
I want to talk to you.
I don’t think there’s anything to say.
There is.



You don’t know us yet.
I’m not sure I want to. (thinking) That sounded stupid. I just don't know how to be anyone's friend.
You’re being a real dick. Why is that? What sort of life did you have before you came here?
Why do you care?
Because mine wasn’t pleasant. I came from Russia. My guy there had to go to war and he sent me away. I ended up working as a model.



You were a model?
Yes. They just used me as a clothes horse. I didn’t even have a proper bed. I slept in a camp bed in the studio. Then the guy sold me to someone who made a mistake and didn’t want me. He threw me out with the rubbish.
WHAT?!
I escaped. I found Lulu through some posts she made on the forum. At first I felt like I was intruding in their life. Rachel wasn’t very friendly at first, but Sihtric tried to make me welcome. I left and sat on this bench wondering what to do and Sihtric came to talk to me and made me see that I could be part of the family.
What are you saying?
I’m saying you only have to ask and you’ll be made welcome.



You asked what sort of life I had before.
Are you going to tell me?
I was just a model. I lived in a warehouse mostly. Those photos I showed you all when I first arrived. That’s all I did.
You didn’t have a home?
I was… *cough* … a mistake.
What do you mean?
Someone supposedly wanted me, but then they changed their minds. My tan was too dark for them and my feet were too big.
Your feet were too big? You were rejected for that? And tan fades.
Yeah, well. Cloud Climax kept me for promo photos.
I thought you did a lot of modelling jobs.
No. Just that one. The rest of the time I was kept in a box. I tried to make it sound better than it was.
Shit, that’s awful. We both had a crap life for a while, then.



What do I do? Haven’t I outstayed my welcome?
What happened?
I tried to kiss Rachel. I thought she was interested. I guess I got it wrong. Sihtric hit me.
Wow, that’s not like him. She is his little sister, though.
I think I’ve burnt my bridges.
You haven’t. Come back with me.
And do what? They won’t want me now. Lulu requested me, but if I’ve upset all of you, she’ll change her mind. Just like that first woman did.
You don’t know Lulu, and you don’t know the rest of us. All you have to do it say sorry and ask them to give you another chance. Try to be one of us. Drop this arrogant posing attitude and just be yourself. So what if you had a crappy start and weren’t wanted? That’s nothing to be ashamed of. It can change starting today.
Rachel won’t want that.
She’ll give you a chance if you ask for it.
I feel like an idiot.
You’ve been an idiot. We can overlook it if you apologise.
Okay. I’ll come back. But if they won’t accept me, I’ll get out of your hair for good.



...to be continued...